La The Capital City Municipality has carried out more than 4800 free sterilizations of dogs and cats so far this year, within the framework of its Zoonosis and Responsible Pet Ownership Program. This is a sustained campaign at a time when it seeks to curb the overpopulation of companion animals and improve the welfare conditions of both animals and citizens.
Throughout these months, the municipal system has combined fixed neighborhood posts and itinerant toursThis initiative also includes the collaboration of various animal welfare organizations. The result is a broad deployment across the urban area, with a presence in numerous neighborhoods and priority given to stray animals or those belonging to low-income families.
A municipal program focused on the ethical control of urban wildlife
El Zoonosis and Responsible Pet Ownership Program of the Capital Municipality It has become the cornerstone of local public policies regarding urban wildlife control. This year it has reported on the implementation of more than 4.800 castrations at no cost to the public, a figure that reflects the intensity of the work carried out by the professional team and the collaborating entities.
The program's main focus is on the ethical, economic and effective control of overpopulation of dogs and cats. Sterilization is presented as a key tool to reduce unwanted litters, prevent abandonment and avoid risky situations such as bites, traffic accidents or the spread of zoonotic diseases.
Far from being limited to a one-off intervention, the actions are organized in a early, continuousSystemic and comprehensive. This means that the campaigns are maintained throughout the year, with a regular presence in different parts of the city, and with a comprehensive vision that considers both animal health and community relations.
Municipal authorities insist that the early, widespread and well-planned surgical sterilization It is, to this day, the only method with scientific and ethical backing for managing the population of companion animals in urban environments, compared to other practices that are ineffective or generate social rejection.
This approach, which is becoming increasingly widespread also in other Spanish and European cities, is based on the idea that the prevention through castration It is much more efficient in the medium and long term than a reactive response to problems of abandonment or overcrowding of shelters.
Weekly outreach programs in neighborhoods and direct on-the-ground assistance
To make this volume of interventions possible, the City Council has deployed weekly castration stations in various neighborhoods. The areas covered include Parque del RÃo, Belén, General Paz, Bosco II and III, Mosconi, Aeropuerto, Borges, Primera Junta, Juan Felipe Ibarra, Villa del Carmen, Campo Contreras, La Católica, 8 de Abril, Independencia, Tarapaya, Santa LucÃa, Reconquista, Los Flores, Santa Rosa de Lima, René Favaloro, and Santa Teresita.
This work arrangement makes it easier for animal caregivers to avoid traveling long distances, which is especially relevant for those who They lack their own vehicle or financial resourcesIn this way, the service reaches neighborhoods directly, reducing access barriers and increasing participation in campaigns.
Each station is organized with prior planning and a Logistics tailored to the needs of each sector. They are established specific days and timesInformation is disseminated through municipal and community channels, and shifts are coordinated to avoid overcrowding and ensure safe handling of the animals.
The program staff travels with the necessary equipment to perform surgeries under appropriate hygiene and safety conditions. In addition, basic guidance is offered to families. post-intervention carerecovery times and management guidelines, so that the animals can return to their usual environment with the best guarantees.
Thanks to this close-knit working model, the program achieves greater territorial coverage and reinforces the idea that the responsible ownership It starts by providing accessible and free public services for those who need them most.
Veterinary team, animal protection associations and care for the most vulnerable
The castration device consists of four registered veterinariansThey are responsible for performing the surgical procedures and ensuring the animals' well-being throughout the entire process. The presence of qualified professionals guarantees that the procedures are carried out in accordance with current regulations and professional protocols.
Along with this veterinary team, the program has the ongoing collaboration of Bugs Association, with which at least three weekly routes through different sectors of the city. During these routes, not only are the animals to be sterilized captured and transported, but they are also provided with food and internal and external parasite control to those dogs and cats who need it most.
A significant part of these efforts is directed towards animals living on the streets or in the care of families without resources to cover the cost of a private veterinary consultation. The goal is that lack of money should not be a barrier to accessing sterilization, deworming, or basic healthcare.
Furthermore, the program actively intervenes in reports of animal abuse or abandonmentIn these cases, we work in a coordinated manner with a wide range of animal protection organizations, including Renata Rescata, Amor Animal, Conciencia Animal Santiago, El Arca, Montecito de los Canichones, San Francisco de AsÃs and various independent groups.
This collaborative network makes it possible to detect situations of vulnerability, rescue animals at risk, and channel their entry into foster care or adoption programs when necessary. At the same time, it reinforces the idea that Animal protection is a shared responsibility between public administration, associations and citizens.
Strengthening resources and prioritizing sterilization as the cornerstone of responsible pet ownership
During this year, the program staff has been equipped with uniforms and basic work equipmentsuch as carriers, leashes, and muzzles. These tools are essential to ensure proper animal handling, minimize stress during transport, and guarantee the safety of both the equipment and the people present at the stations.
The reinforcement of material resources is in addition to the ongoing staff training in aspects related to animal welfare, handling in public spaces, and citizen services. All of this contributes to more effective interventions, as the public perceives the program as a friendly and professional service.
The responsible department insists that the early, continuous, systemic, comprehensive and extended surgical sterilization It is currently the only method with sufficient evidence to sustainably reduce the overpopulation of dogs and cats in urban environments. This strategy is considered ethical, as it avoids euthanasia and traumatic methods; economical, by reducing costs associated with abandonment or coexistence problems; and effective, due to its direct impact on the number of births.
Among the benefits associated with these campaigns are the reduction of unwanted births, getting lost, traffic accidents, bites and transmission of zoonotic diseasesA positive effect is also observed in the reduction of abandonments, by avoiding litters that are then impossible for families to take care of.
With these types of initiatives, the Municipality of the Capital aligns itself with the animal welfare policies that are being promoted in various cities in Spain and Europewhere free or subsidized sterilization and the promotion of responsible pet ownership are considered basic pillars for a respectful coexistence between people and animals.
The campaign's outcome paints a clear picture: thousands of dogs and cats sterilized for free, a stable veterinary team and coordinated with animal protection associations, a constant presence in the neighborhoods and a firm commitment to sterilization as a central tool to control overpopulation and improve the lives of the animals and the community that lives with them.
